Posted on October 16, 2012

Whether it’s a decadent Yves Saint Laurent cashmere coat from the early ‘90s or an elegant Cameo cuff from Chanel in the 1920s, the eyes behind the best vintage buys have to be Cameron Silver. Founder and owner of the achingly-hip and painfully exclusive vintage boutique – Decades – Silver has made his name as a leading expert on all things vintage fashion. Nestled on Melrose Place, Los Angeles, Decades fits out a star-studded clientele including Chloe Sevigny, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes with the most elegant and ground-breaking vintage wares that never fail to cause waves in the press. He’s appeared in Time magazine’s 25 Most Influential Names and Faces in Fashion and even had a Hermes bag named in his honour! (What more could you want?!)

Our fashion writers headed down for the evening and subsequently fell head over heels for Silver’s mischievous wit and infectious devotion to fashion. After briefing us on his stratospheric rise to fame and brilliant clientele – Tom Ford’s partner Richard Buckley discovered him in ’97 and he recently did a fashion fitting with Jessica Chastain via Skype! – he got talking about his new tome.

Unlike most fashion histories Silver writes in first person bringing his individual take on every trend, style and seasonal fad. But what is most striking about the book is the exquisite photo research by Heather Vicars that has unearthed many rare and unseen images. “I wanted to write a book about vintage that was modern and I wanted the images to look modern,” said Silver, “Sexy was a buzzword.” And with images like Betty Paige and a troupe of leopards and Greta Garbo in a dramatic yet contemporary look, Silver has got the book pitch perfect. So, whether it’s for style inspiration or topping up on your fashion history, add this book to your wishlist!